Winter storm bears down on N. Michigan; woman dies in Clare Co. crash

The Associated Press

Published
6:15 am EST, Monday, January 2, 2012

AP Photo | Traverse City Record | Vanessa McCrayPeople walk through falling snow in Traverse City on Sunday. A winter storm in western and northern Michigan was expected to bring 12 to 18 inches of snow by late Monday, as well as winds gusting to 55 miles per hour less

AP Photo | Traverse City Record | Vanessa McCrayPeople walk through falling snow in Traverse City on Sunday. A winter storm in western and northern Michigan was expected to bring 12 to 18 inches of snow by late ... more

Photo: Vanessa McCray

Photo: Vanessa McCray

Image
1of/1

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 1

AP Photo | Traverse City Record | Vanessa McCrayPeople walk through falling snow in Traverse City on Sunday. A winter storm in western and northern Michigan was expected to bring 12 to 18 inches of snow by late Monday, as well as winds gusting to 55 miles per hour less

AP Photo | Traverse City Record | Vanessa McCrayPeople walk through falling snow in Traverse City on Sunday. A winter storm in western and northern Michigan was expected to bring 12 to 18 inches of snow by late ... more

Photo: Vanessa McCray

Winter storm bears down on N. Michigan; woman dies in Clare Co. crash

1 / 1

Back to Gallery

TRAVERSE CITY — A winter storm is bringing snow, high winds and hazardous driving conditions to large portions of Michigan. A woman died in a Clare County crash Sunday night.

The National Weather Service said this morning that about 7 inches fell near Gaylord.

Meteorologist Nick Schwartz said that by the time snow wraps up Tuesday morning, parts of the northwestern Lower Peninsula could get 12 to 18 inches. Earlier forecasts called for up to 20 inches.

As of Sunday night, 5.1 inches had fallen in Sault Ste. Marie and 4.5 inches had fallen in Traverse City.

Parts of the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula had blizzard warnings in effect. Lake-effect snow could total 6 to 10 inches along Lake Michigan in the western Lower Peninsula.

Dangerous driving is expected through today in the storm zone with heavy drifting on top of the snowfall itself. The weather service said the Lake Superior and Michigan coasts could get gusts approaching 50 mph.

Chippewa County Road Commission superintendent Rob Laitinen said there was about 5 inches of snow Sunday afternoon at his home, about 20 miles south of Sault Ste. Marie in the eastern Upper Peninsula.

Laitinen said road crews were focusing on major highways, with all 60 trucks expected to be at work today. It helps that today is being observed as the New Year’s holiday and fewer commuters are expected on the road. But that also means a hit to the county’s snow clearance budget, with Laitinen’s full force working overtime.

He said motorists should consider avoiding the area if they can.

“I don’t want to tell people to stay at home. That’s up to them,” Laitinen said. If they do drive, he said, they should at least “be aware of their speed.”

In western lower Michigan, the weather service forecast 6 inches or more of snow. Greatest accumulations were expected west of U.S. 131, the north-south highway connecting Cadillac, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, the weather service said.

CMS Energy Corp.’s Consumers Energy unit said about 3,000 of its customers were without electrical service Sunday afternoon because of the storm. It’s probably a good time for people to prepare for any weather-related power outages this winter, the utility said.

“As we move into the winter storm season, it’s important that we take time to plan for severe weather activity,” said Senior Vice President Daniel J. Malone. “Being prepared can minimize the impact of a storm and help you and your family to stay safe.”

About 15,000 DTE Energy Co. customers also were blacked out Sunday night because of high winds, the Detroit Free Press reported.

The winter storm was a factor in at least one traffic death.

A 39-year-old Adrian woman died after the vehicle in which she was a passenger went off the road Sunday night in Clare County’s Hayes Township. TV stations WWTV/WWUP report speed and weather conditions were a factor in the crash.

In West Michigan, The Grand Rapids Press reports emergency personnel responded Sunday to multiple rollover and other accidents in Kent, Ottawa and Allegan counties. The road conditions prompted warnings for drivers from the National Weather Service.

Slick roads due to ice and light snow in the Detroit area also caused problems on roadways this morning.

And an injury accident is being blamed in part on winter weather. Two men, ages 34 and 29, received non-life threatening injuries when their vehicle slid on an icy road in Mecosta County and hit a tree about 5 a.m. Sunday. The sheriff’s department said drinking also was a factor in the crash.